BLACK: deep levels of the unconscious, deep meditation, protection, to get rid of nasty habits Negation, banishing evil or negativity, repelling, binding, loss, discord, confusion, shape shifting. Black is also one of the traditional colors of the Samhain sabbat and the Goddess in Her Crone aspect.

WHITE: You should always burn a white candle with spells to ensure the purity of the Spirit. White may be used for any other colour, spirituality, sincerity, virginity Spiritual enlightenment, truth seeking, build purity, spiritual strength, contact spirit helpers, balance the aura, healing, peace, cleansing, defensive magic, and physical energy, the Goddess, higher self, consecration, meditation, divination, exorcism, the full moon, clairvoyance

CANDLE MAGIC

One of the easiest of the natural magic arts is candle burning. It is simple because it employs little ritual and few ceremonial artifacts. The items nescessary for candle magic can be purchased at any department store and the rituals can be practiced in any room.

Most of us have performed our first candle magic as children. Blowing out the candles on our birthday cake and making a wish is magic. This custom is based on the three magical principals of concentration, will power and visualization. The child who wants his wish to come true has to concentrate (blow out the candles), visualize the end result (make a wish) and hope that it will come true (will power).

The size and shape of the candles you use is not important. However, highly decorative, extra large, or unusually shaped candles may cause distractions and an inability to concentrate on the work at hand. Most prefer to use candles of standard or uniform size. Candles sold in different colors for domestic use are ideal.

The candles should be previously unused. The reason for this being, vibrations picked up by secondhand materials or equipment may disturb your magical workings and negate their effectiveness.

Some prefer to make their own candles for ritual and magical use. This is practical, because not only does it bestow upon the candle your own personal vibrations, the mere act of making your own candle is magically potent. Candle wax and molds, together with wicks, perfumes, and other equipment; can be purchased at some department stores.

The wax is heated until liquid and then poured into the mold through which a suitably sized wick has already been threaded. The wax is then left to cool and the mold is removed, leaving a perfectly formed candle. Special oil-soluble dyes and perfumes can be added to the wax before the cooling process is complete to provide suitable colors and scents for a particular magical ritual. Stores, which sell candle-making supplies, may also provide do-it-yourself books explaining candle making to the beginner.

Once you have purchased or made your ritual candle it has to be oiled or 'dressed' before burning. Dressing the candle establishes a psychic link between you and the candle through a sensory experience. By physically touching the candle during the dressing procedure, you are charging it with our own personal vibrations and also concentrating the desire of your magical act into the wax. The candle becomes an extension of your mental power and life energy.

When you dress a candle for magical use, imagine that it is a psychic magnet containing both a North and a South Pole. Rub the oil into the candle beginning at the top and work downward to the halfway point. Always brush in the same direction downward. This process is then repeated by beginning at the bottom and working up to the middle.

The best type of oils to use for dressing candles is natural. Some occult suppliers will provide candle magic oils with exotic names. If you do not wish to use these, you can select oils or perfumes from your own sources. Virgin Olive Oil is suitable for this purpose. Oil soluble perfumes, sold by craft shops for scenting candles, may also be used.

The candles you use can be chosen in accordance with the magical properties of color.

The simplest form of candle magic is to write down the object of your working on an unused piece of paper. You can use colored paper, which matches the candle. Write your petition on the paper, and as you write down what you want to accomplish through candle magic-- a new job, healing for a friend, a change of residence, a new love affair, etc.-- visualize your it coming true. Visualize the circumstances under which you might be offered a new job, imagine your employer telling you that your salary has been increased or conjure up a vision of your perfect love partner.

When you have completed this, carefully fold up the paper in a deliberately slow fashion. Place the end of the folded paper in the candle flame and set light to it. As you do this concentrate once more on what you desire.

When you have completed your ritual, allow the candle to have completely burned away. You do not need to stay with the candle after the ritual, but make sure that is in a safe, heat resistant holder where the hot wax will not cause damage or fire. Never re-use a candle, which has been lit in any magical ritual. It should only be used in that ritual and then allowed to burn away or returned to the Earth (buried) afterwards.

If you are conducting a magical ritual, which involves two people (such as a healing for a person some distance away), then the second person can be symbolically represented during the ritual by another candle. All you need to do is find out the subject's birth date and burn the appropriate candle for that zodiacal sign. These are as follows: